| Clue | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Being self-satisfied stops things working | ||
| Gets clogged with icky stuff | Premier Sunday | 10 Nov 2024 |
| Clogs, as a machine or process | New York Times | 24 Jan 2023 |
| Makes nonfunctional | Wall Street Journal | 21 Aug 2021 |
| Makes a mess of | USA Today | 17 Aug 2018 |
| Makes a mess of | ||
| Slows down, as the works | ||
| Ruins, as the works | ||
| Ruins, as the works | ||
| Bungles |